Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, (e.g., an LTE system).
By way of example, a wireless multiple-access communications system may include a number of base stations, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, which may be otherwise known as user equipment (UEs), mobile devices or stations (STAs). A base station may communicate with the communication devices on downlink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a base station to a UE) and uplink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a UE to a base station).
As cellular networks have become more congested, operators are beginning to look at ways to meet the ever-growing user demands within the constraints of existing resources. One approach to meet such demand may include offloading traffic from an overloaded cell to a cell that is less congested. However, in conventional systems, the network lacks sufficient information to make an informed decision on whether or not to offload the UE to a less congested cell, and more importantly, accurately identifying which UEs to offload, if any. In particular, current cellular networks lack the ability to identify UE capabilities and anticipate expected UE performance if the UE is offloaded to the less congested neighboring cell.
For example, in some instances, although the neighboring cell may be less congested than the serving cell, the offloaded UE may experience higher interference or weaker signal at the neighboring cell due to the in ability of the offloaded UE to cancel or suppress stronger cell interference than it would have experienced had the UE stayed at the serving cell. Accordingly, it may be counter intuitive, in some situations, for the network to make decisions on offloading based on only cell loading.